Go
by Theracine Rabeem
Summary: Set after the battle in AWE. The untold story of Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann.


**A/N:** Set after the battle in AWE. A couple of lines in this fanfic came from the novel _The Beach_ written by Alex Garland.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.

* * *

_**Go**_

_A One-Shot Sparrabeth Fanfiction by Theracine Rabeem_

* * *

_This could be the end of everything._

The war is over. The pirates have won. Beckett is dead. Jones is dead. I am free, I guess. Maybe I should rejoice, no? I have the Pearl to myself. No more debt to pay. Less people I owe to. Just a hundred left still, or more? Well, I can deal with them later. All I want to do now is to savor this triumphant moment. Freedom. Another chapter of my life has finally come to an end. A new page to lift. A new page to fill.

But what is this I am feeling? Why does it feel like I am still carrying something heavy? Why does this victory bring me so much sadness? What is wrong with me?

They say, when something ends, something new begins. Is this true? Then, what is that something new? Where is it? When will it come? I think it has come sooner than I have expected.

Aye. Something new will begin in a few moments. New adventures. More plundering. More rum. More rum to drink. More rum to drink, _without her_.

The thought is nauseating. Why does it have to be this way? Nobody ever said about a double ending! One was quite enough for one day. Not two. No. Now, I ask myself if this conquest is even worth it. I wish the battle never had to end. I wish the air took us to a different place, far away from here. I wish it took us to an undiscovered island (of course, it will not be 'undiscovered' anymore). I wish we just flew forever.

I can still feel her arms wrapped tightly around me. I can still smell the scent of her hair. I can still remember how she hugged me, clung to me, as we watched the Flying Dutchman being devoured by the sea, along with her husband.

"Cap'n, orders?" Gibbs startled me. I realize it is time.

"Is she leaving already?"

"Will only has one day ashore. They better be startin' makin' the most out of it. Aye, cap'n?"

"Where is she?"

My eyes follow Gibbs' finger as he pointed towards the helm. Elizabeth, gazing wistfully and longingly at Will. Agony strikes my heart. I am not sure if what hurt more; her melancholy, or the fact that I am not the reason of her pensiveness. I do not know how the latter sounds like but…well, I am just hopeful. I am hoping that somehow, some part of her, no matter how big or small it is, is grief-stricken for leaving the Pearl. For leaving _me_.

"Cap'n?"

I let out a big sigh. I have no other choice. I cannot bear seeing her like this. "Prepare the long boat."

Gibbs nods and immediately calls Pintel and Ragetti for help. The moment the boat is prepared, everyone who wants to bid their farewell form a line. I position myself at the end. I am not sure if I even want to see her leave. I just bow my head down and wait.

"Your chariot awaits, your highness. The oars are inside.", I hear Gibbs tell Elizabeth.

I can see from the corner of my eye that she is already coming. She slowly passes in front of the crew and then stops in front of me.

"Jack", she calls. I turn my head up to face at her. I look at her eyes, nose, lips. I do not need to memorize how she looks. Her face is already burned in every part of my entirety.

"It would never have worked out between us.", she says. Eh? That sounds familiar. Now, I regret ever telling that to her before. I never meant it, anyway. I hope she does not too. It will kill me if she does.

I try to smile. "Keep telling yourself that, darling.", I say. I still believe that given the opportunity, it might have. It will. Maybe it is not the right time yet. Maybe not in this life. Maybe in another life. I just know it will.

She flashes me a wide grin and moves to kiss me, but I hold up my hands instead. "Once was quite enough.", I tell her. My action has nothing to do with what happened when we first kissed. I am just afraid that when I kiss her, I might do something stupid. I will not be able to let her go. I have to let her go. I love her so much that I have to let her go. I just want her to be happy, even if it means that it will be in the arms of another man.

She thanks me.

I watch her climb down the ship and get into the long boat. I can feel some kind of force that reaps off my chest. I have not even said my proper goodbye yet. I cannot contain myself any longer. This might be the last chance I will ever see her.

"'Lizabeth!"

She turns her head up to look at me.

"Would you mind if I, personally, take you to shore?"

She smiles and shakes her head. "No. It would be a pleasure."

I order Gibbs to look after the Pearl for me. Then, I secretly order Pintel, Ragetti, Marty, and Mr. Cotton to keep close to Barbossa and never let him out of their sight. And if he ever does anything suspicious, it is the brig for him. "I will be back soon.", I say as I descend the Pearl.

Our trip was not that long. Before I knew it, we were already very close to the shore. But it gave us just enough time to talk and to reminisce our good times together. Well, there are not many, so basically we just harked back about everything we have been through. She laughed most of the time. So did me.

This _togetherness_, I do not want it to end.

"Walk with me.", she says as I assist her get off the boat. I smile at her and nod. She then reaches out for my hand. I accept, and together, we saunter the shore hand in hand. Palm to palm. I am a bit flustered, but I try my best not to show. I try to act as natural as I can, though I think she can feel my hand shaking a little bit. She starts to swing our hands and it makes me feel better.

"I have always believed that our world is not the only world out there.", she says. I look at her, slightly confused. She goes on. "I have this idea that there are infinite worlds. Among these worlds, there are some that, _by an incredible series of coincidences, developed exactly the same way as ours_. But with at least one detail distinct, of course. You see, every possibility we can come up in this world is possible in each of those other worlds. They are actually happening there, wherever these worlds may be."

I understand the logic. It is actually quite amazing and interesting. "So, you are saying that in these worlds,_ everything that can happen will happen_?"

"Exactly."

"So, maybe, in one world, I would be the captain of the Flying Dutchman?"

"There is a possibility. Yes. And maybe, in one world, neither you nor Will would be captain."

"Aye. Maybe you will."

She laughs. "Yes. Maybe. And there is also a slightest chance that in one world, _it might have worked out between us_."

That takes me by surprise. I look at her as I try to let the words sink into me one by one. She smiles at me and faces the setting sun.

I can hear her saying something about the sun or the ocean. Another one of her thought-provoking ideas, perhaps. But I cannot concentrate. I can feel the words still floating in the air above me. _"…it might have worked out between us."_ I cut her off.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes, Jack?"

I am sweating like a pig. I stare at the sand. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. No voice. Not even a breath. Nothing.

"Jack," She puts her hand on my cheek and catches my gaze. "What is it you want to say?"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. A couple of deep breaths. I look at her and speak. "I want to ask you something. Can you…can you promise me one thing? Just one. I am not sure if I have any right to ask you to promise me something, bu-…"

She cuts me off by placing her forefinger on my lips. "Come on. Just ask.", she says with a smile. I swear, sooner or later, I will faint. Her smile is so intoxicating. I cannot help myself but be enchanted.

I hold both of her hands and stand in front of her. I look intently into her eyes and let the words pour out of my mouth. "Promise me that you will never, _ever_ forget me." Now, that is a silly thing to ask. Of course! How can she possibly forget me? I was the reason why she was robbed of her wedding night. At some point, I had put her life in grave danger because of my selfishness. I brought chaos into her life. Aye. She will not forget me. Never.

She chuckles and flashes me with yet another spellbinding smile. For some reason, I think she understands exactly what I meant. I can see it in her eyes. She nods. "As long as you will promise that you will never, ever forget me _too_."

We walk back to the boat. Now, it is time for me to leave. Will will be arriving anytime soon. This is the end of everything.

It is time to say my goodbye. It is time to let her go.

We are just a couple of steps away from the boat. Just as I am about to bid my farewell, she speaks. "You know, Jack, I still would not mind you, _kissing me_."

I look at her. The wind blows gently against us. She tucks her hair behind her ear. I smile at her and nod once. I come closer to her. I hold her chin with my thumb and forefinger. I lean closer to her and she slowly closes her eyes. Our lips have almost touched when her eyes fully shut. I pause. I gaze at her ardently. She opens her eyes and I can see a question mark written all over her face. I chuckle.

"As I said, darling, _once was quite enough_. All I want is to see the look in your face waiting for me to kiss you. It is more than enough to satisfy this yearning within my soul."

I smile at her and kiss her in the cheek instead. "Au revoir, my love. Take care of yourself."

"Goodbye, Jack. I will miss you.", she says with a tear-choked voice. I take deep breaths as I get into the boat. The air I breathe out is filled with lament. Tears start to cloud my eyes but I try to fight them. I do not want to break down. I do not want her to see me cry. I am afraid to show her how vulnerable I can be. Even I, myself, do not how vulnerable I can be. But with this much grief that consumes my heart, who knows how far I will break down.

I start to paddle towards the Pearl. She waves her hand and beams at me for one, last time. I gulp. I try to hide the pain. I try to hide the anguish.

_I fake a smile so she will not see._

* * *

_The End_


End file.
